


One-Shots & Imagines

by accioginger



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Harry Styles - Freeform, Liam Payne - Freeform, One Direction Imagines, One Shot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-09
Updated: 2018-08-21
Packaged: 2019-05-26 19:16:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 17,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15007559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/accioginger/pseuds/accioginger
Summary: A collection of one-shots written by me!





	1. Small Town America - Harry Styles

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: First one! Hope y'all enjoyed it! Let me know in the comments if you have any requests!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi y'all! I found this unfinished draft in my Google Docs and I HAD to publish it. Kinda inspired by Dunkirk (happy 1 year, Harry!) and also by my own experiences as someone whose childhood was defined by the Iraq War and terrorism. Disclaimer: this story is not a reflection of my current views of the military/police, but rather the views I had as a young American girl that didn't understand imperialism. Enjoy, y'all!

I can’t remember a time when we weren’t at war. My entire childhood was flooded with images broadcasted from thousands of miles away, in a war-torn desert. Hundreds of thousands of our brave men and women, battling on through the blood, sweat, and tears. I watched my Dad come home and watched my brothers ship out, trying to hold back my tears and be brave for my mom. While my patriotism ran deep, chronic breathing issues kept me from enlisting alongside my twin older brothers. So, I sat in front of the TV every night with Mom and Dad, watching every news clip of the explosions and gunfire, praying that our boys wouldn’t be caught in the middle of it.

We grew up in a small town, the kind that comes to mind when someone says the word “Americana”. Main Street was always decorated with flags, Friday Night Lights wasn’t just a show on TV, and you always said “ma’am” and “sir”. We were all extremely patriotic, seeing as many of the people in our town were either veterans or currently deployed. And from that patriotism came a deep sense of loyalty to our country and a hatred of countries who threatened ours. The Desert War, as we had come to call it, had been going on for just over a decade. One of our closest allies and friends, Great Britain, had recently decided to withdraw their troops while they “reconsidered their options”. To them, it was a calculated political move to prevent the loss of life while they decided if it was in their best interest to continue fighting this war. But to the United States, they had abandoned us in the middle of a war. They had abandoned my friends and my family. They were now an enemy.

\---

My brothers were nearly halfway done with their second deployments by the time I finished my first year at college. I decided that I couldn’t sit another summer at home waiting for news by letter or phone with my parents, so I got a summer job. I managed to get one as a waitress at our local diner without much problem. While the pay wasn’t fantastic, I got lots of tips and the hours were pretty good. I worked with a few other middle-aged women, two guys I went to high school with, and then the kitchen guys. Nothing out of the ordinary, nothing life changing. Or so I thought.

I parked my car one afternoon outside the diner, tying my long Y/H/C hair up and checking my mascara in the mirror. I got out and walked into the diner, waving at the regulars and smiling as I hopped behind the counter and grabbed my apron, clocking in. “Hey, have you seen the new kid?” I heard Nick mutter. I turned and looked at him, confused. “New kid? What do you mean?” Nick jerked his head towards the corner of the diner and I saw a family sitting in a booth, two adults and a boy and a girl about my age. I had never seen any of them before in my life but dear God, I wanted to get to know that boy a little bit better. “Has anyone served them yet?” I said, absentmindedly straightening my hair and smoothing my shirt. Nick laughed sarcastically. “No, no one wants to.” I raised my eyebrows, shocked. “Seriously? Nick, y’all are gonna get fired.” I said, shaking my head and walking over. “Hi y'all, sorry about the wait! My name is Y/N, thanks for coming to Sally’s today. What can I get y’all to drink?” I said, smiling at the family cheerfully. “I’ll have a water, thank you.” The girl said. My eyes widened slightly at her accent, and suddenly I realized why no one wanted to serve them. “Coke, please.” “Water as well.” “Water for me too, with a lemon.” I nodded numbly and walked away towards the kitchen. I saw Nick and Andy sitting on the counter in the back, whispering conspiratorially. They looked up when I came in and Jack smirked. “Told you.” I filled up their drinks quietly, trying to stay calm. “How has no one chased them out of town yet? Don’t they realize that Americans hate British people right now?” I said through gritted teeth. Nick and Andy shrugged and I sighed, picking up the tray and walking back out to the table.

“Look, I understand that we’re not SUPER popular in this country, but how are we to blame for what our government did? I mean, this country has an unhealthy obsession with their military and with winning! They need to stop being the damn world police. But hey, if the townies want to run off to die in an unwinnable war, good for them.”

I listened to the girl’s rant as I sat their drinks on the table, trying to keep my mouth shut the entire time. I was extremely surprised that I was able to refrain from throttling her stupid little neck. “Alright, you folks ready to order?” I said, gripping my pad and pen a little too hard. As I wrote down their orders, I tried to keep my tongue while the girl kept making offhanded comments about the United States. I wrote down the last order and turned to look at her, smiling. “You know I meant to say this to you earlier, but I have two older brothers who would be tripping over their oversized feet to talk to you.” She blushed and looked around, smiling. “Oh really? Are they here?” I shook my head, my eyes steely. “No, unfortunately, they’re just two dumb townies who ran off to fight an unwinnable war.” Her mouth fell opened and she stuttered, her cheeks red as she tried to find words. “I’ll get this right out for you guys.” I said, turning and walking back into the kitchen.

\---

That night, I was sitting on the front porch, staring up at the stars. “They’re looking at the same stars, Rex.” I said quietly, petting my golden retriever Rex who was laying next to me. Before my brothers shipped out, they told me that whenever I missed them, all I needed to do was look up at the stars and I would be with them, because they were looking up at the exact same ones. “Miss?” I heard a familiar voice say. I looked up and saw the couple from earlier at the diner walking up my driveway. Rex started to growl and I scolded him, my manners overshadowing my loyalty for a moment. “Can I help you?” I said in what I hoped was a polite voice. The woman stepped forward, her voice soft. “My name is Anne Styles, and this is my husband Robin. We wanted to apologize for the things our daughter said earlier today. Gemma is quite outspoken, which isn’t always a good thing. Your brothers are brave men, and in a calmer state of mind, Gemma would say the same thing. She's just not happy about having to move away from home so suddenly.” I nodded, smiling softly. “Thank you. I’m also sorry for how I acted. It wasn’t appropriate at all. I just take offense easily when it comes to my family.” They both nodded smiling. “Are your parents home? We would love to meet them.” I nodded turning to the screen door. “Momma! Daddy! We have visitors!” My parents walked out and shook Mr. and Mrs. Styles’ hands, surprisingly keeping straight faces throughout this whole encounter. They chatted for a few minutes before Mr. and Mrs. Styles said they needed to get back home and bid all of us goodnight. We waved as they walked down the driveway and up the sidewalk to their house. Daddy waited until they were both out of earshot before turning to Momma and I and saying in a flat voice, "Fucking Brits." I gaped at him, thankful that the Styles couldn't hear him but still embarrassed. "Daddy! They were very nice!" I hissed at him but Dad just rolled his eyes and walked back into the house. "He doesn't see nice normal people, he sees the British army retreating. You know that, honey." Mom said, patting my shoulder sympathetically and walking back inside. I sighed and turned back to Rex, who was panting happily and was completely unaware of the people who had just moved in up the street and created what I assumed was a much more dramatic summer than I ever could have imagined.

\---

“Be polite!” Momma hissed as we walked up the sidewalk to the Styles’ house. Daddy rolled his eyes and sighed, and I giggled quietly. We were the only family on the street who had bothered to make them feel welcome - honestly, we might be the only family in the whole town who talks to them. Tonight, they had invited us over for dinner, so everyone could get better acquainted. I had stared at my closet for a solid hour, trying to put together some kind of decent outfit. He may be British, but that Styles boy was something else. Eventually, I decided on a loose red tank and shorts, and strappy white sandals. I blew a strand of wavy hair out of my face as we walked up the front step, my momma’s apple pie held tightly in my hands. Momma knocked on the door, elbowing my Dad when he let out a small groan at the British laughing coming from inside the house. 

Mrs. Styles opened the door and smiled at all of us. “Hello! I’m so glad you lot could come!” She said cheerfully, ushering us inside. We walked in and I looked around, taking in their home. It wasn’t as homey as ours, but I attributed that to just having moved in. The furniture was quite modern, but everything was warm. There were photos everywhere of the family in different locations around Europe, and many baby photos of Gemma and her brother. It felt a lot like my home - clean, but always a trace of messiness with memories of happy, laughing kids spread everywhere. The blonde girl from the restaurant came out of the kitchen, looking a little hesitant. I smiled and walked over, hugging her. “I’m not mad.” I said simply, and she let out a sigh of relief, laughing a little. “Everyone has an opinion and they’re allowed to voice that opinion - freedom of speech, one of the best things about this place.” I laughed, walking into the kitchen, our parents following. “I’m Y/N, by the way.” I said, setting the pie down on the counter. “I’m Gemma. And that useless antisocial mess is my brother Harry.” She said, pointing to the kitchen table.

I looked over and raised my eyebrows. The gorgeous brown-haired boy from the restaurant was sitting there, fully engrossed in his phone. I cleared my throat and he looked up, nodding his head at me and turning back to his phone. My mouth dropped open a little at his rudeness and before I could say anything, Anne spoke up. “Harry, can you put your phone down for two minutes and say hello to our guests?” She said, her tone edging annoyance. Harry set his phone down and shook my parents’ hands, and stood in front of me, offering his hand. “M’Harry. You?” I stared up at him for a second, then slipped my small hand into his large one, sighing. “Y/N. It’s nice to meet you.”

\---

After dinner had ended and Gemma and I began to feel a bit out of place with the conversations our parents were having, we excused ourselves from the table. Harry had left as soon as he took his last bite of pie, much to his mother's embarrassment. Gemma retreated to her room to read and I walked out onto the back porch and saw Harry sitting on the steps, looking out at the acres and acres that stretched beyond the fence. “Is it anything like England?” I asked quietly, smirking when he jumped at the sound of my voice. “A bit, yeah. Quiet, and small. Just like Holmes Chapel.” Harry said, with a hint of sadness in his voice. I hesitated for a minute, messing with the hem of my shirt, nervous to move closer. Harry noticed this and sighed, patting the spot next to him. I sat down and rested my elbows on my knees, gazing out at the sunset. “You don’t want to be here. I can tell.” I said, looking over at the curly haired boy beside me. Harry shook his head. “No, I don’t. I miss my friends back home. I miss my school, amazingly enough. I miss Britain.” He said, his voice changing from sadness to complete misery. I bit my lip and held back the urge to grab his hand in mine and make him feel better. “Well, if it helps at all, I’m glad you’re here.” I said, a small smile on my face. Harry turned to look at me, scoffing. “I’m British. You’re American. You’re supposed to hate me.” I nodded with a resigned sigh. “I’m supposed to hate anyone who worships Islam because they’re all terrorists. I’m supposed to hate anyone who is British because they’re all deserters and traitors. I’m supposed to support this war because we’re bringing freedom to countries that have none and delivering justice to those who attacked us.”

Harry stared at me, and I knew that all he could see was red-blooded star-spangled bullshit coming out of my mouth. “But Harry, I don’t do any of those things. Islam is a peaceful religion that condemns violence. Radical Islam condemns Western culture and wants to destroy it. Terrorists do not represent Islam - they represent fear. I hate this war. It’s taken my brothers and my friends away from their homes, and some of them came home in flag-covered caskets. Too many lives have been sacrificed in the name of bringing freedom to countries that hate us for being there in the first place. And no, I don’t hate British people. I’m not exactly happy with the decisions that your government has made, but I can understand them. You value life over bragging rights, which is a lesson that my country’s leaders could stand to learn.” I said, my spiel finally ending. I looked over at Harry and immediately felt flustered when I saw him staring at me, his face slightly awed. “What?” I said defensively. “Nothing.” Harry said, his stormy green eyes piercing my bright blue ones. “I’ve just never met an American girl as smart as you.” My cheeks turned bright pink and I smiled, looking down at my legs. “You’re one of the only people in this town who will talk to me.” Harry said, and I frowned. “People here...they’re very...loyal. A lot of my classmates enlisted in senior year and went straight to boot camp after graduation. Out of the 150 kids that graduated, about 90 went to college.” I admitted, thinking about how half my graduating class didn't stick around for the summer - they shipped off to basic a week after we finished high school.

Loud laughter drifted outside from the living room and I glanced behind us, surprised to see our parents drinking wine and beer in the living room, having a grand old time. “They’re getting on well.” Harry commented, chuckling slightly. I nodded, smiling at him. “I’m glad they all like each other. I was honestly a little worried.” Harry laughed, and the sight sent butterflies soaring through my stomach. It was quiet for a moment before Harry broke the silence. “Do..do you wanna go for a walk? There’s nothing but fields and farms outside of the fence but I haven’t looked at it that much yet, so…” I smiled at his bashfulness and stood up, brushing off my shorts. “Let’s go, Styles.”

His family had really lucked out as far as properties go. Our neighborhood wasn’t too far from the center of town, but far enough that we had beautiful views of the land that surrounded our little home. I walked through the tall grass, smiling and running a hand through my hair. “It really isn’t that bad here. I know it’s not home for you, but it’s really beautiful.” I said absentmindedly. “Yeah, you are.” I heard Harry mumble quietly. I turned around, giggling when I saw him blush. “I thought American boys were flirty, but y’all have them beat.” I laughed, continuing to make my way through the field. The tall grass started to become dotted with wildflowers, and I could see trees and a large pond in the distance. As we approached the pond I sat down in the shade, leaning back against the trunk of the large tree. Harry shuffled beside me awkwardly and I laughed, patting the space next to me. “Come on, Styles. Just sit. I don’t bite.” He sat down, laughing nervously and settling against the tree. I looked over at him, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get butterflies when he smiled at me.

We talked for what seemed like forever, about anything and everything. The more we talked, the more comfortable I became around him. He was actually a genuinely nice guy, despite the way he had acted earlier. And surprisingly, we had a lot of the same interests. We liked the same movies, music, we both had a hunger to travel the world, and we were both passionate about our educations. He was going back to England in the fall to continue attending law school at Cambridge, and I would be heading back to American University to study International Policy and Affairs. Basically, we were both very good at arguing and getting our way. The only thing that really seemed to divide us was our nationalities. We had similar values and senses of humor, and both believed that pineapple should be nowhere near a pizza. Soon enough, the lightning bugs were dancing around us like the stars had fallen from the sky and made their homes in the soft grass. I looked over at Harry and felt my traitorous heart skip a beat when I saw that his stormy eyes looked even more breathtaking in the moonlight. Harry held my gaze, and I felt the air around us grow heavier than it already was. "Stop that." I murmured, begging myself to look away but I couldn't muster the strength to do so. "Stop what?" Harry said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Stop looking at me like that." I said, and Harry scooted closer to me. "How am I looking at you, doll?" I felt a shiver run down my spine at the pet name, and I tried to steady my voice when I spoke. "Like you're going to kiss me." I mumbled, my breath hitching when Harry reached out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind my ear. "Would that be so bad?" He said softly, his voice thicker than American honey as his fingers trailed across my jaw. "Yes. Yes, it would be." I breathed, barely finishing my sentence before Harry's lips molded against mine, soft yet firm, warm but still making my skin burst into flames. Every part of my body was screaming at me to keep going, but my brain knew that this was wrong beyond belief. Finally, we broke apart for air, breathing fast with wild eyes. "We've been gone for a while." I said breathlessly, and Harry nodded, clearly not wanting to hear me say these things. "We need to go back, Harry." I said, my actions contradicting my words as I twisted my fingers into his hair and pulled his face back to mine. Harry pulled me into his lap so I was straddling him, his large hands gripping my hips tightly and holding me in place with no intention of letting me go. We really did need to get back, but the things that Harry was now doing to my neck with his very talented mouth were clouding my judgment. What snapped me out of my lust-filled haze, however, was a sharp crack of thunder to the east. We both whipped around to see storm clouds darkening the night sky - a random thunderstorm, a southern summer staple. "We have about two minutes before we're soaked." I said seriously and we both scrambled to our feet, sprinting back through the fields towards the house. My estimate of two minutes was far too generous. We had only been running for about thirty seconds before the skies opened and drenched us where we stood. I shrieked at the onslaught of cold water but we continued to run through the muddy grass until the glowing lights of Harry's house came into view. "Wait!" Harry yelled and I stared at him like he was insane. "Harry, it's raining cats and dogs, can we please-!" Harry cut me off by pulling me against him and kissing me hard. It was every stupid country song I had listened to when I was growing up - a kiss from a gorgeous boy in a field in the middle of a rainstorm, but it was a million times better than those songs could ever make it sound. "One more for the road." He whispered against my mouth in his rough yet somehow smooth voice, and it took all my restraint not to kiss him again right then and there. We hurried up the back steps and into the safety of the kitchen, dripping all over the floor. "Oh, honey, what happened to you two?" My mom said from her spot in the living room. "I was taking a walk with Harry and the storm caught us by surprise." I said sheepishly, and Mrs. Styles quickly brought both of us some towels to dry off with.

Once the storm began to taper off, my parents bid their goodbyes to the Styles and ushered me out of the house, saying that I had an early shift the next day at the diner. We walked through the now light drizzle back down our street in silence, until I spoke up. "Well? Did y'all have a nice time?" Momma rubbed my shoulder, smiling at me. "I did, honey, I really did. Anne is lovely, and that girl Gemma seems like she might be a nice friend for you." I smiled up at her, relaxing a little. My mom was more tolerant and accepting than most people around here, always willing to see the best in people if she could. Dad grumbled and I smirked a little, knowing that he didn't want to admit that he had actually had a good time. "They were fine. I didn't like the way that boy was looking at you, though." He said, and I scoffed nervously. "Oh please, Daddy. I'd never be interested in someone like him." I said, hoping that I was convincing him. Or maybe myself.

\---

The next day dawned bright and early, and I was still yawning as I dragged myself into the diner. "Good morning, sunshine!" Nick said and I mumbled as I brushed past him to clock in. "Damn, late night? Who's the lucky man?" He teased, and I laughed half-heartedly. "You wouldn't believe me even if I told you." Nick raised his eyebrows at me but didn't push it, and instead continued to set up the tables then retreating into the back. It looked like it was going to be a slow morning so I took my time getting the front of house ready, moving a bit slower than I usually would. Not long after we opened, I was standing behind the counter when a familiar voice hit my ears. "I'd like to place a to-go order." I closed my eyes for a moment, praying quietly, before turning around to see that God had once again ignored my prayers. Harry Styles was leaning against the counter, giving me that goddamned smirk that could charm the pants off of Donald Duck, and making my heart melt with those sweet, stupid eyes. "What can I get for you?" I said flatly, pulling my notepad and pen from my apron. "Two of the breakfast platters, an order of fried eggs on toast, french toast and bacon, and your phone number." He said, and I could tell he was grinning but I didn't look up from my notepad as I scribbled down his order. "That's two full houses, toast with a blanket, french pigs, and keep dreaming about that phone number, Styles." I said, sliding the order through the window and placing coffee cups on the counter for whatever patrons would come in that morning. "Oh come on, Y/N. After that kiss, the least I deserve is-" I cut him off quickly, whirling around and placing my hand over his mouth. "That kiss should never have happened. End of story." I said, and Harry raised his eyebrows. "Look, Harry, it was a good kiss. I won't deny that. But it can't happen again because..." I trailed off, not sure how to say it nicely. "Because you're American and I'm British and your parents would lose their goddamn minds if they knew you were kissing me?" Harry finished for me, and I sighed. "It sounds awful when you say it out loud, but yes, that's it." I said, pouring myself a cup of coffee since the diner was still empty. Harry let out a huff, his gaze on me hardening. "You don't seem like the kind of girl who really cares what her parents think." He said, and I glared at him. "Normally, no, I don't. But since my brothers just lost the biggest ally they had in the Middle East, I can't say I really want to fight my parents on this." I retorted, and Harry's eyes softened. He knew that I didn't believe in the war, but that I loved my brothers more than anything in the world. I looked away from him, unsure of what to say. Thankfully, Sal, the line cook, yelled "order up!" from the kitchen and set several to-go boxes on the sill. I started bagging them and ringing Harry up, ready for him to be out of my hair for a while. "Look, I get that you don't want your parents finding out that you kissed a British boy. But in all honesty, I don't want to stop kissing you because I rather liked it, and I know that you liked it too." Harry said quietly and I stared at him, in disbelief that he was still pushing this. "Here's what I propose. You like Shakespeare, so you be Juliet and I'll be Romeo. No one has to know." Harry said, and I felt a smile creeping onto my face - he remembered me telling him that I loved reading Shakespeare in my free time. "You know that Romeo and Juliet both die in the end, right?" I said, raising an eyebrow at him, but he just gave me that stupid grin again. "To die would be an awfully big adventure." I couldn't keep the smile off my face as I handed him his receipt. "That's not even Shakespeare." I said, and Harry only smirked. "Yeah, but you love Disney too, especially Peter Pan." He really was listening to me last night, I couldn't believe it. "How about you take your food and get out of here before I get yelled at for piddling around?" I said jokingly, pushing the bag of food towards Harry. Harry quickly scribbled on the receipt before taking the bag and leaning over the counter to kiss my cheek. "Make sure you keep this." He whispered in my ear, slipping the paper into my apron before walking out the door. I stared at his retreating figure, not really understanding what the hell just happened. His words, "Make sure you keep this" echoed in my head until it hit me like a truck. "That sneaky son of a bitch..." I muttered, grabbing the piece of paper and examining it closer. He did leave a tip, but he also left his phone number at the bottom of the receipt. Just like when he gave me that idiot grin, the sight of his number in my hands made my stomach do funny things. "Wasn't that the British boy?" I heard Nick say from the kitchen sill, and I nodded without looking up from the tiny piece of paper. "Yeah, it was." I said absentmindedly and Nick scoffed. "What did the snake want?" He said, and I held back an exasperated sigh. "Breakfast for his family, Nick. They don't eat sticks and rocks, contrary to local belief." I said, ignoring Nick's indignant huffing when I saw the first regulars walk through the front door. It was time to focus.

Hours later, I was laying in my bed, fresh from a shower. My parents had gone out for the night and left me alone at home with just Rex. I glanced over at my bedside table and my eyes fell on Harry's receipt. I hesitated for a second before grabbing it, staring at the little piece of paper for a minute before making a split second decision, actually saying "fuck it" out loud. I picked up my phone and tapped out Harry's number, then taking a deep breath and hitting the call button. "Hey, you." He said after the third ring. I raised my eyebrows at his words, trying not to smile. "How did you know it was me?" I said, a little amused and, surprisingly, a little jealous. Was he giving his number out to other girls? And also, why did I care if he was giving his number out to other girls? "I don't really have any American numbers on my phone, wasn't hard to figure out that it was you." Harry chuckled, and I had to hold back a sigh of relief at his explanation. "So, did your coworkers give you a hard time for talking to me?" He asked casually, and I smirked a little at his question. He actually cared what other people thought about him? "Only a little. But like you said, I'm not really the type of girl who cares about what other people think." I said, and Harry laughed. "Fair enough. So what are you doing, baby girl?" He said casually, and I bit my lip at the name he used for me. I would never admit it but I loved pet names like baby girl, princess, angel, kitten, take your pick. They all made me tingly on the inside for some reason. "Just got out of the shower, looking forward to not having the morning shift tomorrow. My parents went out for a while so I'll be able to have some peace and quiet tonight. What about you?" Harry was silent for a second and I bit my lip, waiting for his response. "Harry? Are you there?" I said, staring at my phone. There was some scuffling around on his end, and I thought the line might be breaking up. "Look outside." Harry said after a few moments. I walked over to my open windows and cursed loudly, nearly dropping my phone when I saw Harry standing in my front lawn. "Are you nuts? What are you doing here? How did you even know this was my window?" I hissed, hanging up the phone. Harry grinned at me, his hands shoved in his pockets. "I can see your house from mine, Y/N. Now, you said something about your parents not being home?" He said suggestively, wiggling his eyebrows. "Yeah, they won't be home for a few hours but Harry, someone is gonna see you!" I said nervously, glancing down my street to make sure none of my nosey neighbors were staring at us through their curtains. Harry stared at me like I was the slowest person in the world. "Okay, then come down and we'll go somewhere." I crossed my arms, shaking my wet head. "Uh-uh, mister. I just finished the longest shift of my life, I'm having a well-deserved night in." I said, hoping that would convince Harry to get the hell out of my yard. Harry raised his eyebrows at me, then shrugged. "Well, I guess I have to come up there then." He said simply, and my eyes got wide. "Wait, what? What do you - Harry!!" I gasped as Harry began to climb up the porch railings and onto the roof below my window, climbing in with ease. "You absolute creep! Is this how all British boys operate? Just climbing into girls' rooms because they want to-mpfh!" I was cut off by Harry's lips on mine, just as warm and soft as they had been last night. I was frozen for a few seconds, but then I pushed him off of me, much to his surprise. "You can't just come in here and kiss me out of nowhere! That's just...it's not..." I stuttered as Harry smirked down at me. "Is that not how you like to be kissed, Y/N?" He said quietly, walking towards me until my back was against the wall. "Soft and sweet doesn't seem to be doing it for you. Maybe my first guess was right, and you're that girl that likes it a little..." He trailed off, grabbing the backs of my thighs and lifting me up, pressing me against the wall with his body and holding my hands above my head. "Rough?" He whispered in a ragged voice, and I couldn't help the moan that slipped past my lips. "Knew it." Harry said smugly, kissing me with a newfound vigor. This time I returned his kiss, biting down on his lower lip and feeling my stomach clench when he growled at me, an all too familiar heat spreading through my lower belly. "Harry, please." I murmured against his mouth, knowing that if I didn't try to stop this now I would do something that I would most likely regret later. I wasn't a virgin by any means, I just wasn't into random hookups or fucking just to fuck. And more to the point, I wasn't comfortable enough with Harry yet to want to go down that road. Harry pulled back a little and looked at me, reading my face carefully before releasing his hold on my arms and setting me down on the floor. "I would never make you do something you didn't want to do." He said seriously, his eyes soft. I wrapped my arms around his neck and stood on tiptoe, surprising both of us by pressing my lips to his. "I know. Thank you, Harry." I breathed, captivated by his stormy eyes. We stood there for a second, the only sound the wispy breeze blowing through my windows, just looking at each other. "How about we go for a walk?" Harry suggested, breaking the silence and I smiled, taking his hand and leading him down the stairs. "Be careful, my dog is in the living room and he'll probably lose his shit when he sees you." I warned, and Harry laughed. "I'm sure I can handle him." He said cockily and I rolled my eyes. As we came into view of Rex, who was watching the stairs curiously from the couch, he jumped up and rushed over to us, jumping on Harry and panting happily. Harry laughed loudly and kneeled down to pet Rex as I stared in shock. "What? Surprised that your dog likes me more than you do?" Harry joked and I shook my head, crossing my arms over my chest. "Rex hates strangers. I can't believe he hasn't ripped your face off already." I said in disbelief, staring at my dog that was now trying to lick Harry's face instead of maul it. Goldens can actually do some damage, despite their sweet appearance. "He's a big softie." Harry said, scratching Rex's ears affectionately. "So, ready to go?" He said, standing up and dusting off his pants. I nodded silently, leading Harry out the front door and down the quiet street. "Where do you wanna go, baby girl?" Harry said, intertwining his fingers with mine. I looked up at him and knew that I couldn't go walking down Main Street with this boy - not yet. There would be way too much gossip the next day for me to deal with, and a part of me wanted to keep this secret for now. I felt like there could really be something there with Harry, and I wanted to see where this thing would go without having to worry about the opinions of others. "Take me to the pond." I said softly, and Harry smiled, nodding - he knew that I wanted to be alone with him.

Soon we found ourselves in Harry's giant "backyard", Harry sitting against the giant tree with my back pressed firmly against his chest. "Tell me about your brothers." Harry said softly, and I closed my eyes at the feeling of his warm breath on my ear. "Well, they're twins, Michael and John. I call them Mikey and Jack since they hate being called by their actual names. They're a few years older than me, and they've always looked out for me. They're the biggest dorks I know, but they're braver than I'll ever be." I said wistfully, and Harry made a noise of disbelief. "I think you're pretty damn brave, Y/N." Harry said, and I turned my head to look at him in confusion. "How am I braver than two U.S. Marines?" I said, and Harry smirked. "You're not afraid to stand up to anyone, Y/N. Hell, you told off my sister the first day you met her, and you didn't even know her name then. Plus, you're hanging out with me right now." He said grinning and I laughed. "I think that's more stupidity than bravery, honestly." I teased, and Harry raised his eyebrows, lifting me up and turning me so that I was straddling him. "Oh really? That's what you think?" He questioned and I bit my lip, suddenly unable to look at him. I felt him grab my chin, forcing me to look at him. "When I ask you a question, you answer. Now, is that what you really think, baby girl?" Harry repeated in a low voice. I don't know why I said this; maybe it was the way Harry was holding me so close or the tone he had used, but the words just slipped out of my mouth. "No, Daddy." I whispered, and Harry's pupils became blown wide. "Fucking hell, baby girl." He rasped, fisting his hand in my hair and smashing my lips onto mine, groaning. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my body against him, feeling a desperate urge to be as close to Harry as I possibly could. I could feel my phone start to vibrate in the waistband of my yoga pants, and I groaned. "You gotta be kidding me." I whined, tearing my lips away from Harry's and looking at my phone. It was my Dad. "Hi, Daddy." I said when I answered the call, and Harry raised his eyebrows. "No, sorry, I'm not home right now. Nick invited me over for a movie night." I paused for a second, rolling my eyes. "No, Daddy, he hasn't tried anything. It's Nick, for God's sake. I know he likes me but I don't like him like that and he knows that." I said, biting my lip when Harry heard this. He leaned forward, kissing his way up my neck until he was biting on my earlobe gently. "You're mine, baby girl." Harry murmured in my ear, and I had to hold back a moan when he placed a kiss just below my ear - that was my sweet spot. "No, I'm not." I mouthed cheekily, returning to my conversation with my Dad. "I promise I'll be home soon, Daddy. Have fun with Momma! Bye!" I said, hanging up quickly and glaring at Harry. "He could have heard you, idiot!" I said reproachfully, and Harry gripped my waist tightly, his other hand cradling the back of my neck. "You ARE mine, Y/N, and you know it. You know deep down that you feel the exact same way that I do." Harry said, and I pressed myself against him, running my hands through his unruly curls. "And just how do you feel, Harry?" I said, and the air around us shifted along with the mood. Harry's eyes became softer and the air got heavier. "Like I've known you my whole life, and I'm absolutely crazy for you, love. Like I want to know everything about you, and I want to protect you from the world even though you could probably kick my ass. Like I want you more than anything." He said quietly, and I inhaled sharply at his words. "I know, Harry." I said before kissing him gently. We stayed like that for a while, kissing lazily in the warm night air, lightning bugs glowing around us in the tall grass. "I want to take you on a date." Harry mumbled against my mouth. I pulled away for a second to look at him, biting my lip in doubt. "You'll have to deal with my parents." I said, and Harry smirked. "Not afraid of them." He said confidently, brushing my hair out of my eyes. "And you might not get the warmest welcome in a lot of these places." I reminded him, but Harry only shrugged. "Then we'll drive to the city, and I'll show you a good time out on the town." I couldn't help the smile that tugged on my lips, and I hugged Harry tightly, smirking when he groaned at the feeling of my lips brushing his ear. "What should I wear, Harry?" I whispered, and Harry leaned his head back against the tree as my lips moved to his neck. "Talk to me, Daddy. What should I wear on this date you're taking me on?" Harry's hands moved down my back to my ass, squeezing it tightly and making me whimper. "Whatever you want baby girl, as long as I have a proper view of this." He said, slapping it lightly to make his point. I gasped and pulled away from him, and Harry raised his eyebrows. "Do you not like that?" He said, a little worried. I shook my head, fisting my hands in his curls and kissing him. "No, idiot, you didn't do it hard enough." I said, and Harry growled and kissed me back, slapping my ass again but much harder this time, making me absolutely mewl for him. "How are you real?" Harry groaned, and I giggled, kissing his cheek. "I'm not, you've been dreaming this whole time." I teased, and Harry grinned at me, making my heart skip a beat. "I don't even wanna wake up again, then." Harry said before pressing his lips to mine again, silencing me.

\---

The Saturday after my little pond excursion with Harry was our first official date. We had been unable to settle on a place in town, so Harry said he would pick a restaurant in the nearest city for us to go to, which was 45 minutes away from my town. I looked in the mirror, finally satisfied with my appearance. I had on a dark red sundress and brown wedge heels, hoping that would eliminate some of the ridiculous nine-inch height difference between Harry and I. I had curled my hair and brushed it out, leaving me with long, soft waves. I left my makeup simple, choosing a soft bronze smokey look for my eyes and a pinky nude lip. I grabbed my purse and walked out of my room, freezing at the top of the stairs when I heard the doorbell ring. "Well don't you look nice, Y/N! Who's the lucky man?" My mom teased gently, walking to the door. I braced myself as she opened it up, and nearly moaned when I saw Harry standing there in slacks, nice shoes, and a button-up shirt, a tiny bouquet of wildflowers in his hands. "Harry! What can I do for you?" She said politely, and Harry swallowed nervously, trying to look confident. "H-Hi, Mrs. Y/L/N. I'm here to pick up your daughter." He said, and I grimaced when I heard my dad yell "Excuse me?" from the living room, and come walking into the entryway. "Like hell you are! My daughter would never agree to go out with someone like...you!" He said, trying to puff himself up to look bigger than Harry, which he was. "Yes, I would, Dad!" I said annoyed, walking down the stairs. "Y/N Y/M/N-" Dad said in a warning voice, but I cut him off. "I'm almost 20 years old, Dad, you don't get a say in who I go out with. Plus, would you rather I go on a date with a well-mannered, clean young man or that idiot I dated in high school who has been hanging around the diner lately?" I challenged, my hands on my hips as I raised an eyebrow at my dad. He looked at me for a moment, then turned to Harry, his eyes like ice. "You'll have her home by midnight, and I'll be waiting on the porch with my shotgun. If you're a minute late, I'm calling the state police." Dad said threateningly. "Oh my GOD! Goodbye!" I said, pushing past my parents and pulling the door shut, closing my eyes and trying to find my sanity. "Well...that could have gone worse." Harry said, and I looked at him incredulously. "He could have slammed the door in my face." Harry said shrugging and I laughed, feeling a little relieved. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Oh, Harry, are these for me? They're beautiful!" I said, taking the wildflowers from him. "Not as beautiful as you. You look incredible, Y/N." He said, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me in for a kiss. It was a quick kiss since we were both very aware of the fact that we were still on my front porch, and my parents were probably watching somewhere. We walked down the front steps towards what I assumed was Harry's parents' car, a goddamn Range Rover, and I blushed as he opened the passenger door for me. Once we were buckled up, Harry plugged in the GPS address and we zoomed down our street and through the town, towards the highway. I recognized the address - it was a pretty nice Italian place that my parents had taken me to celebrate getting into my first choice school, and I knew it wasn't cheap. "Harry, are you sure you want to go there?" I said softly, trying to tiptoe around the issue of money. Harry glanced over at me, placing his hand on my bare thigh. "Yes, I'm sure. And I'm sure because you're not paying, baby girl. Don't argue, either." He said, slapping my thigh playfully when I opened my mouth to retort. I grumbled, settling back against my seat and unsuccessfully holding back the blush on my cheeks. It was a different experience for me, getting treated well by a guy. I was used to Netflix and takeout in tiny dorm rooms with guys who expected me to Venmo them for my food, and then still assumed I was going to give them a blowjob halfway through the film. This was miles better than anything those boys could have done for me. This was a real date with a real man. 

Harry surpassed even my wildest expectations. It was so damn refreshing getting to spend time with him without having to worry about what other people were going to say about the two of us together. The food was just as good as I remembered it, but the conversation was so much better this time around. Harry managed to scam us a bottle of wine, charming the waitress into bringing us a nice red. "If we get arrested, it's on you." I had teased as he poured me a glass. "It'll make a good first date story." Harry smirked, clinking glasses with me and taking a sip. By the end of the date, we were both giggly and loose, walking down a city sidewalk arm in arm talking and laughing. "Did you really steal a horse? Like no shit?" Harry said incredulously, and I groaned, trying not to laugh at the memory. "Yes, it was a dare! Our high school mascot was a stallion and I didn't technically steal it, I just borrowed it to ride to the school and then back to the ranch!" I said defensively, but Harry was still crying from laughter. "What? You can't picture me riding it?" I said, immediately regretting my words when Harry gripped my waist a little tighter, pulling me closer as we walked and leaning down so his lips were against my ear. "Oh trust me baby girl, I can absolutely picture you riding it." He whispered, and I knew he wasn't talking about the damn horse. "Watch yourself, Styles. We're in public." I said as we crossed the street towards the riverwalk. "Yeah, and none of them are paying any attention to us, so I can do this." Harry said, pulling me flush against him and kissing me deeply, and I didn't even try to stop him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back, giggling a little when I felt one of his hands slide dangerously close to my ass. "You have no idea how nice it is to be able to touch you in public, to have my hands on you and not have to worry about what someone is going to say." Harry said softly, and I nodded, playing with the curls at the nape of his neck. "I know, Harry. I know. I wish this was easier. But my mom always told me that the easy things in life aren't worth having, so take that as you will." I said, smiling up at Harry. "So, a second date isn't out of the question?" Harry said hopefully, and I grinned, leaning up to kiss him gently. "It's not out of the realm of possibility." I teased, laughing when Harry did a little victory fist pump. We walked and talked for a little while longer before realizing that we didn't have long before my dad was going to call the cops on Harry. I was fairly sure he was just trying to scare Harry but bless Harry's heart, he didn't want to take any chances. As we walked back to the garage we had parked in, I could feel the wine buzz settling in further, and I became hyper-aware of every touch from Harry - his hand on the small of my back, his breath warm on my ear and neck as he whispered to me, his soft lips on my skin when he leaned in to kiss my temple. And much to my mind's dismay, all of these touches sent warm shocks right to my core. By the time we got to the parking garage, I could practically feel myself dripping with need, and he hadn't even done anything remotely sexual. He opened the passenger door for me and I sat on the seat so that my legs were still hanging out of the car, and reached out to hook my fingers in Harry's belt loops. "Harry..." I whined, tugging on his pants until he was standing in between my legs. "Look what you did, Daddy..." I said, a little embarrassed with how needy I sounded, but spreading my legs a little wider so my dress rode up my thighs enough to expose my grey cotton thong that had a very obvious wet spot on it. Harry's eyes widened with lust and he leaned down to kiss me hard, almost bruisingly. "Baby girl, did Daddy make you that frustrated tonight?" He said teasingly, and I nodded, pouting at him. I knew that we probably weren't going to have a lot of alone time from this point on, so I decided to take advantage of the few moments we had left together. "I need you, Daddy." I whimpered, and Harry smirked at me. "Where do you need me, baby girl? Here?" He said, palming my breast over my dress and I shook my head desperately. "Here?" He asked again, pushing me back a little to shove my dress up, rubbing the soft skin of my belly. Again, I shook my head, and Harry grinned, trailing his fingers down to graze over my core, biting his lip when he felt my drenched panties. "Here?" He rasped, and I nodded frantically, wiggling my hips against his hand. "Please, please, Daddy...I need your fingers." I moaned, and I could have sworn that Harry actually growled, pulling my underwear down my legs and trailing his fingers up and down my slit, spreading my wetness before pushing a finger inside of me. "Holy fucking hell, kitten, you're so tight and wet." Harry groaned, kissing my neck and easing his finger in and out of me. "Please, Harry, more!" I whined, and Harry pulled away, raising an eyebrow at me. "Who?" He said, and I whimpered. "Daddy! I'm sorry, please Daddy, I need more, give me more!" I begged, sounding absolutely pathetic. Harry moaned and kissed me hard, shoving another finger into me and curling them deep inside of me, making me buck my hips against his hand. "That feel good, Princess? You like that?" Harry whispered in my ear, biting the shell gently as he fucked me viciously with his fingers. "Yes, yes, yes! Oh god, don't st-Daddy!" I cried out when he rubbed his thumb over my clit aggressively, obviously determined to push me over the edge quickly. "Better keep your voice down, baby girl. Don't want anyone to see me knuckle-deep in your little cunt." Harry said in a low voice, and I clenched around his fingers, grinding myself down on his hand. "Come on baby, I can feel how close you are. Cum for me, Y/N." He said roughly, and I swear this only happens in dumb fanfics and movies, but his words sent me tumbling over the edge, cumming hard around his fingers as he worked me through my climax. As I started to calm down, Harry withdrew his fingers from me and I grabbed his wrist, bringing his fingers to my lips and sucking on them, staring up at him innocently through my lashes. Harry's mouth fell open and he leaned down, kissing me hungrily. I began to whine in protest when he pushed my hands away from his belt, catching on quickly to what I was doing. "We don't have time, baby girl." He said painfully, and I pouted. "But I wanna suck you off, Daddy." I said quietly, and Harry groaned, biting his lip. "You can later, I promise baby. But your dad will shoot my junk off if I don't have you home in the next thirty minutes, so we need to go. Trust me, I'm gonna have those pretty lips around my cock soon enough." He said, grinning and giving me one last deep kiss before situating me in the passenger seat and shutting the door, jumping behind the wheel and driving off. 

Harry was true to his word, getting me home right at midnight, even though he had to break several speed limit laws. Sitting in my driveway, I turned in my seat to look at him, blushing a little as I recalled my earlier actions. "I had a good time, Harry. And not just the last part, I mean. The whole night was wonderful." I said truthfully, and Harry grinned, leaning over to cup my cheek in his hand. "I did too, Y/N. Think we can do it again? The date part, I mean. Not that the other stuff wasn't good but I mean you deserve real dates and respect, even though I totally want you that way and-" I cut him off by pressing my lips to his tenderly, smiling at his rambling. "Yes, Harry. I'd love another date." I said, and Harry grinned, letting out a tiny sigh of relief. I reached down at my feet to get my purse and smirked to myself when I saw my grey thong just laying on the floorboard. I balled it up in my hand discreetly, then leaned over to kiss Harry again and slipped it into his pocket. He glanced down for a second then grinned at me, shaking his head. "Fucking minx, you are." He said, and I giggled. "You love it." I replied cheekily, pecking his lips before getting out of the car and walking up my front steps, turning to blow Harry a kiss before walking into the house. I leaned against the front door, sighing and smiling to myself. "Have fun?" I shrieked when I heard a quiet voice in the living room, and walked in to see my mom sitting up, and my dad asleep in his armchair. "Momma, why are you up?" I said, my hand on my chest as I tried to catch my breath. "I wanted to make sure you got in okay. Did you have a good time, baby?" She asked again, and I smiled, my cheeks flushing happily as I played back the night I had just had with Harry. "I really did, Momma. I really, really did." I said honestly, and she smiled gently at me. "I'm glad, baby. You go on and get in bed, it's getting late." She said and I smiled, walking up the stairs and into my room, quickly shutting my door and flopping onto my bed, giggling like a schoolgirl. I didn't think that I'd ever find a guy who could make me feel like this - like I was floating on a cloud just by being near him. The idea of letting go and being intimate with a guy physically and emotionally absolutely terrified me, but I wanted to see where this thing with Harry could go. I had a feeling it could be something beautiful.

\---

After that first date, things really took off. Harry and I started officially dating, and even though my dad didn't fully approve, he said that he liked the fact that Harry respected me and made me happy, and my mom agreed with him. Harry's family was over the moon that we were dating - his sister said she couldn't believe that he had landed a dime like me, and his parents loved that he was dating such a "beautiful and educated young woman". Harry and I were spending close to every day together, including today - he had come over to bake cookies and watch films with me since it was too damn hot to be outside. I munched happily on a still-warm chocolate chip cookie in the kitchen with Harry, giggling at the expression on his face when he bit into his cookie. “Jesus Christ, these are perfect! Are you magic?” He said, pulling me against him. I laughed and nodded, tossing my hair over my shoulder. “Um, obviously.” I said, giggling and kissing him, sighing a little at the taste of chocolate and vanilla on his lips. We were cut off by the sound of the doorbell before things could go any further and I groaned, walking to the door. “I’ll get it, Momma!” I yelled up the stairs, opening the front door. I wish I hadn’t.

Two United States Marine in full dress blues stood in front of me, and immediately stood in a salute. “Good morning, ma’am. Are you Mrs. Y/L/N?” I shook my head, my whole body shaking. “No, I’m her daughter. Please, whatever news you have, we don’t want it.” I said, my voice firmer than I thought it would be. “Y/N? Who’s at the door, sweetie?” I heard Momma yell, her footsteps appearing on the stairs. I turned to look at her, and when she saw the Marines on our front porch, her eyes grew wide and she sat down hard on the stairs, starting to cry. I looked at the men, tears leaking from my eyes. “Are my brothers okay?” I said, my voice cracking. The stony-faced Marine seemed to soften for a moment at my small plea, and I knew he hated doing this job. “Staff Sergeant John Y/L/N is in critical condition at a hospital in Germany. His convoy ran over an IED, severely injuring his legs. We regret to inform you that Sergeant Michael Y/L/N was killed in the explosion.” I let out a scream and fell to my knees, sobbing. I heard Harry run into the foyer and drop down beside me, holding me. “Y/N? Baby, what happened? Mrs. Y/L/N, what’s going on?” He asked, his voice filled with worry. “Mikey...Mikey’s dead!” I cried, clinging to Harry for dear life. Harry swore quietly and held me tightly, kissing my head. “Here, sir. Please give this to the head of the household. It has all the details of when Sergeant Y/L/N’s body will be delivered back to the States.” The older Marine handed Harry an official-looking envelope with my momma and daddy’s names on it. “Miss Y/L/N, Mrs. Y/L/N, on the behalf of the United States Marine Corps, we offer you our deepest condolences for your loss.” The Marines saluted again before walking back down the front steps to their car. I saw Momma come down the rest of the stairs shakily and crawl over to me. I met her halfway and clung to her, sobbing uncontrollably. “He’s gone, Mommy. He’s gone.” I kept crying over and over. She held me tightly, whispering to me, but she was shaking too. I felt Harry wrap his arms around both of us, and I looked up to see his face streaked with tears. “I’m so sorry.” He murmured, his voice broken.

\---

I walked into Harry’s house after dinner, ready to grab him for a walk with Rex. I couldn’t stay in the house any longer just listening to my parents agonize over funeral details. It was breaking my heart over and over, and only making me dread having to bury my brother even more.

When I entered the kitchen, I stopped dead almost immediately. Harry was sitting at the table with his head in his hands, and Ann was rubbing his back. She and Robin both had tears running down their faces, just like Gemma, who had her hand on Harry’s arm. “What’s going on?” I said, and everyone’s heads snapped up to look at me. “I can come back later if now is a bad time..” I said, slightly embarrassed but still worried. Harry got up and strode over to me, pulling me into his arms and holding me close. “I love you. I love you. I love you so much.” He said over and over, his tears soaking my shirt. I murmured soothingly in his ear, rubbing his back. “Breathe baby, it’s alright. What happened? What’s going on?” I said, pulling away to look at him. Harry wiped at his face, taking deep breaths. “Britain declared a new draft.” I stared at him, not fully understanding what he was saying. And then, like a speeding train, it hit me. “No.” I said, my voice a mixture of disbelief, denial, and desperation. “Yes.” Harry said, his voice broken. “No. They’re not. They can’t have you.” I said, my lower lip trembling as I fought back tears. “Harry, you can’t. You can’t do this, not to us.” I whimpered, clutching his shirt in my hands. Tears spilled down Harry’s face again and he shook his head. “I have to. Dodging the draft is punishable by up to 25 years in prison.” I let out a sob and clung to him, my body shaking. “They already took Michael! They can’t have you too!” I wailed, the pain washing over my body like a tidal wave. Harry wrapped his arms around me tightly, petting my head and murmuring in my ear. This, however, only made the tears come faster. Even after getting the worst news of his life, Harry was more concerned about comforting me - how could I lose a man with a heart this big? "Let's take a walk." He said, nodding to his family and leading me out the back door towards our special spot beside the pond.

\---

I laid on the soft grass beside the pond, gazing up at the millions of stars twinkling in the endless expanse of sky above me. “We’re going to have three kids and two dogs.” I said quietly, smiling at Harry’s chuckle. “So, five kids?” I heard him say. I turned my head and nodded, my breath catching at the sight of him.

They say you never really appreciate a person until they’re not in your life. Now, when I was about to lose him, I noticed every single little thing about him. The tiny dimples in his cheeks, the light sprinkling of freckles on his tanned face, and the way his stormy eyes shone in the late night moonlight. The way his lips moved when he said my name, the tiny streaks of light brown in his normally chocolate hair from long hours spent with me in the sun. I took in all of these details, afraid that soon, they may be all I have left of him. I didn’t realize I was crying again until Harry wiped the tears off of my face. He pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly against his side. I buried my face in his chest, breathing in the smell of him - peppermint, sun, grass, and man. “Look at the stars.” Harry said, kissing my head. I looked up into the dark sky and raised my eyebrows at the seemingly endless expanse of sparkling stars above us. “Start counting them. When I’m away, and when I come back home, keep counting. The day you finish counting every star in the sky is the day I stop loving you.” Harry said, brushing my hair away from my face. I looked at him, fresh tears in my eyes and a smile on my face. “One, two, three…” I said jokingly. Harry laughed and kissed me, making my eyes flutter shut.

Sometime later, we laid in my bed, tracing circles on each other’s bare skin, my sheets draped lazily over our exposed bodies as a warm breeze blew through the open windows. “Grace, Alex, and Michael.” Harry said quietly. I sat up a little, resting my chin on his chest. “Sorry?” Harry smiled, his hand resting on the small of my back. “Our kids’ names. Little Gracie and her two older brothers, Alex and Michael.” Tears sprang to my eyes and I kissed him, blinking them away. “I love you, Harry.” I whispered, kissing him again. “I love you too, Y/N.” Harry said, smiling and kissing me hard. I rolled on top of him, giggling when I heard him groan. “You devil woman, how are you not tired?” I sat up and straddled him, letting the sheet slip off of me, biting my lip when his eyes widened at my bare form. “You are?” Harry sat up, holding me against him tightly. “Not anymore.” He said, kissing me hungrily. I kissed him back, wrapping my arms around his neck as I felt his hands begin to wander all over my skin, nearly setting it on fire. Harry began to kiss my neck and jaw, whispering in my ear. "Tell me you want it, baby. Tell me, Y/N. I'll give you anything." I bit my lip, trying not to moan and wake up my parents. They knew from my birth control prescription that I wasn't a virgin, but they didn't need to know that I was fucking a boy just down the hall from where they slept. "C'mon, Y/N, use that pretty little mouth and tell me what you want. God knows I put it to good use earlier." Harry said, smirking at me. "Destroy me, Daddy." I said, my voice hitching at the flash of lust in his eyes. "Whatever you want, baby girl." Harry gasped, his hands gripping my hips tightly as he lifted me up slightly. He pressed his lips to mine quickly to swallow my whine when I felt his thick length slide into me. We both let out low moans when he bottomed out, the way he stretched and filled me giving me full body shivers. Harry kissed me slowly, letting me readjust to having him so deep inside of me. He whispered quietly against my mouth, pressing soft kisses to my lips, cheeks, and jaw - nothing in particular, just quiet words of endearment meant to calm me and give me those butterflies that I knew all too well by now. We had fooled around extensively before this, but we had never actually had sex. It was our first time together, and Harry wasn't disappointing. When I began to relax against Harry and the discomfort of his stretch had subsided, Harry held my hips tightly and began to rock me back and forth on him. I had to bite down on his shoulder to muffle my scream at the electric shocks that this small action sent through my body. His tip was rubbing right against my special spot, and the friction that his pelvis was putting on my clit was out of this fucking world. Harry growled and leaned down to capture one of my nipples in his mouth, letting out a deep moan around it when I began to circle my hips on his length. "Y/N, fuck..." He groaned, leaving hot open-mouthed kisses on my chest. As the air around us grew thick, our climaxes got closer and closer. Harry twitched inside of me and it didn't take long before he was coming undone, spilling inside of me and cursing under his breath. I was so close to the edge that it was almost painful, and Harry noticed this too. He pulled me off of him and pushed me back against the bed, spreading my legs quickly and settling between them. "Time for dessert." He said in a ragged voice, and I choked on my own breath when his lips attached to my throbbing clit, his fingers sliding into me easily. "Harry!" I whimpered, unable to care about how needy I sounded. Harry looked up at me with those wild, dark eyes and one hard lick to my clit and his fingers hooked against that one spot inside me was all it took to push me over the edge, covering my mouth in a desperate effort to muffle my cries of pleasure as my orgasm washed over me in wave after wave. Harry worked me through it slowly, bringing me back down with gentle licks and nips. Once I had calmed down, he kissed his way back up my body, pressing his lips to mine and pulling me close. "I love you. Forever." He said, and I ran my fingers through his sweaty curls, giving him a lazy smile as I brushed my lips against his. "And ever, and ever, and ever." I replied, my heart doing backflips at that damn smile of his.

"You gotta go." I whispered, standing with Harry beside my bedroom window, wrapped up in his arms as he kissed me over and over. "I don't want to." He said, quite like a little kid who was pouting over not getting a toy he wanted, and I smiled. "I know, baby, but the rest of the world is waking up, and your family is gonna be confused about why you're not in your bed." I reminded him, and Harry shook his head. "They know where I am, Y/N." I stared at him, horrified. "Wait, your parents know you spend the night here sometimes? Do they know that we-" "Fool around? Yeah, babe, they're parents. They can tell." My mouth fell open at his words and I covered my face with my hands, absolutely burning with embarrassment. "Oh my god, I can never look them in the eyes again. I'm going to die." I whimpered, and Harry chuckled. "Baby, we're adults in a relationship and they know that we're gonna do stuff together. It's not a big deal to them." Harry said, pulling my hands away from my face and kissing my forehead. "They asked, and I didn't lie, and they're not mad at you or me baby girl. The fact that I'm honest with them is the reason that I'm able to keep coming over here so easily at night." Harry said, and I believed him. "Well, at least your parents trust us. If mine knew what we were doing, they'd flay you alive and make you walk through the streets naked." I said, laughing lightly. Harry snorted and pulled me against his chest. "I'm not afraid of them. Never have been, never will be. All I care about is you, Y/N." He said quietly, and my heart swelled. "I'll see you after my shift, okay?" I said and Harry nodded, giving me one last, lingering kiss before climbing out of my window and scaling down the porch beams. I watched him go, feeling my chest grow tight as he hurried up the street towards his house, jogging down the sidewalk in the early morning light. How could I let a boy this caring and sweet leave me when I had barely gotten to have him in my life?

\---

We stood in the airport two weeks later, my family and his, all gathered to say goodbye to Harry. He held onto me tightly when it was my turn to say goodbye, kissing my neck and shoulders. “Be safe, please. Come home. Come back to us.” I said, my voice shaking as I tried to keep it together. Harry smiled at me, but I could see the pain behind his eyes. He was terrified, just like the rest of us. “I promise.” He said, kissing me. He hugged my parents and then waved, heading towards the security checkpoint. Seeing him walk away from the safety of home and into a war made something snap inside me and I let out a sob, running after him. “Harry!” I called out. He turned around just before I crashed into him, wrapping my arms around his neck and crying. “Please don’t die. I need you. Please come home to me.” I cried, clinging onto him. Harry held me tightly, rubbing my back and kissing my head. “I will always come back to you, doll. You know that. No matter where I go, I will always come home.” He said softly. I looked up and saw tears falling down his face too, I kissed him hard, terrified that it would be the last time I ever get to. “I love you.” I whispered, kissing him again.

\---

Once I was back at college, I left the room whenever my roommates turned on the TV to the news. I refused to see the images of the ever-present war flashing across the screen. My heart clenched when the numbers of missing, wounded, and killed soldiers came in each day, making tears spring to my eyes. “I can’t fucking stand this!” I half-yelled, running my hands through my hair in frustration as I tried to do homework and study one night. Alyssa and Charlotte, my roommates, both stared at me. “What, your geopolitics paper?” Charlotte said in confusion. “No, Charlie, this war! This never-ending war! And the horrible possibility that I’m going to get a call from Anne or Gemma telling me that he’s gone!” I said, my chest tight with anger and fear. Alyssa laid a hand on my arm, her gaze firm but still kind. Her boyfriend had enlisted in the Marines right after high school and was in Iraq alongside my man’s army. “You know they’re going to be okay, right? It’s not like they’re going into this blind. They’ve been trained, they know what to do.”

All three of us were very close, but this year, Alyssa and I shared a special bond. She knew that while war and conflict were almost impossible for me to avoid in conversation, seeing as I was an International Policy and Affairs major, she tried to limit my exposure when we weren’t in class. Alyssa usually made sure I was out of the room when she turned on the evening news, and if the subject of overseas affairs or the war came up in casual conversation, she would change the subject. I appreciated it more than she could ever know. Worrying about Harry took up most of my free time lately, and hearing people share the latest news out of the Middle East made me feel like I was on the edge about to fall into this endless black abyss of fear and uncertainty. The only thing that made me feel better was the letters. I had given Harry my school mailing address before he shipped out, so we wrote to each other whenever we could. There was no real back and forth pattern to the letters because I knew there would be points where Harry wouldn't be able to write. So, I made sure to send a letter at least once a week, if not more. I swear, I was supporting my post office's stamp revenue singlehandedly that semester. Getting a letter from Harry was the best thing in the damn world - he wouldn't really talk about the war and the things he was seeing, as I'm sure they were horrific and I was already hearing about all of it on the news. In his letters, Harry told me all the things he missed about me, and all the plans he had for us when he finished his tour. He wanted to take me to New York City for a vacation all by ourselves, and then London. He wanted me to see the city lights that I always talked about, and show me his native country. Harry wanted me to meet his childhood friends, wanted me to see where he grew up, and wanted to show me his law school and his flat at Cambridge. He talked about how he knew that a long distance relationship would be hard, but that he knew we could do it. He wanted to make our love work, and I wanted the same. In such a short amount of time, I had come to realize that I really couldn't live without this stupid British boy. He was quickly becoming one of the most important people in my life, and in the middle of writing a letter to Harry, it hit me like a truck. So, I wrote it. "I know I say I love you, Harry, but I'm in love with you. I know that I'm falling in love with you, and there's no turning back for me. I'm so in love with you that it almost doesn't make sense, but then again, nothing about us does. A love that spans thousands of miles shouldn't be able to work, but I know that we can make it work, Harry. I know it in my heart. I love you, Harry. Please, please, come home to me."

\---

I bounced up and down impatiently, smoothing my dress over and over. The warm spring sun filled the hangar as dozens of families waited for the plane to arrive. “Y/N, relax! The plane left the base camp hours ago. They’ll be here any minute now.” Gemma said, laughing at my impatience. “Gem, it’s been nine months since I’ve seen that boy’s face or heard his voice. Twenty minutes feels like twenty years right now.” I said, sighing and rocking back on my heels. Gemma rolled her eyes, hugging me. “We made it.” She said, and I smiled, nodding. “It never gets easier, but you get better at living through it.”

Harry’s family had moved back to England during his deployment, and they had flown me and my family out for the day that he was due to arrive home in London. They hadn't mentioned to Harry that I was going to be there as well, so it was going to be a complete surprise for him. A 9-month deployment had left me with shoeboxes filled with letters, an elevated stress level, and extreme heartache. I missed him more than words could ever say, and for the first few weeks I jumped at any text or call that came from Gemma or Ann or Robin for the fear that it would be confirmation of my worst fears.

We heard the roar of engines and the screech of tires on pavement, and my eyes snapped to the opening of the hangar. The plane carrying our boys had landed and was coming to a stop in front of the hangar. The back of the C-13 opened, and soldiers began to file out, some dropping their things and running straight to their families. I stood on tiptoe trying to look for the boy I so desperately wanted to see, and my heart stopped. There he was, looking all around the hangar for us. I wanted to open my mouth and scream his name, but my voice had failed me. The sight of him in front of me after so many months apart had left me completely speechless. When Harry's eyes landed on me, the smile on his face was so bright, it put the sun to shame. I let out a half sob-half laugh and began running to him, ignoring the stares of people around me. I jumped into his arms when I reached him, wrapping my legs around his waist and clinging onto him. He wrapped his arms around me, holding me tightly and burying his face in my neck. “Oh god...I’m home baby, I’m home.” He said, the smile obvious in his voice. I leaned back and looked at him, happy tears filling my eyes. “You’re really here.” I said, giggling and sniffling. Harry laughed and kissed me, and for the first time in 9 months, my heart felt whole. I laced my fingers through his hair, sighing happily and kissing him back. He was tanner, stronger, I could see a scar on his cheek that had looked almost fully healed, and there were probably mental scars from the things he had seen that would take years to heal. But right now, I didn't care. I didn't care about any of those things because Harry was standing in front of me in one piece - my man was home.

Later that night, Harry and I were sitting on the couch in his house, both of our families eating dinner and laughing. I laid my head on his shoulder and I felt Harry press his lips to my forehead, making me smile. "Walk with me?" He said and I nodded, grabbing his hand and pulling him out the back door.

The scenery surrounding Harry's childhood home in England was beautiful. It wasn't the rolling fields he called a backyard when he lived in America, but it was certainly nothing to scoff at. "I'm glad you're home, baby." I said quietly, lacing my fingers with his. Harry lifted our joined hands to his lips and kissed my knuckles gently. "Me too, Y/N. Me too. I thought about you every day." He said, and I raised my eyebrows. "Oh really? Every single day?" I teased, but my voice faltered at the look on Harry's face. "Every day. Every goddamn day, Y/N, I thought about you. Everything reminded me of you - the kids I saw trying their best to be kids, the sun that is nowhere near as bright as you are, the flowers that defied the odds and grew in the middle of destruction. Everything reminded me of you, and the reasons I had for getting back home to you." I stayed silent, letting Harry continue talking. I wouldn't have been able to interrupt him if I tried; I was too welled up with emotion. "Every day that I was over there, I thought of one more reason to make it through that hell and come home to you. To hear your laugh, to see your smile, to argue with you about pointless shit, to kiss you just so you'll stop arguing with me. To feel your body on mine, to watch old movies with you, to help each other study for class, to tell you every single day how much I fucking love you. On my last night there, I dreamed that you fell asleep beside me, wrapped up in my arms, just like the night we found out I was being drafted. When I woke up on my last morning in the desert, I found my final reason for why I had to get back home to you. That dream was everything I'm ever going to want, every night, for the rest of my life, but I want the real thing." He said, holding my hands in his. I felt him slide something onto my finger and I looked down, gasping when I saw the gorgeous antique ring that now sat on my left hand, obviously previously owned by his grandmother or great-grandmother. I looked up at Harry with tearful eyes and saw that he had that same stupidly hopeful smirk on his face like when he first asked for my number in Sally's Diner. "Don't say no." He said, and I threw my arms around his neck, managing to choke out "How could I ever?" before Harry kissed me enthusiastically, wrapping his arms around me and lifting me off my feet, right there in the middle of the flowers and the setting sun.

\---

I stepped out of the car and into the warm sunlight, looking around. The endless white headstones that made up Arlington National Cemetary always made my chest tighten and my eyes tear up, no matter how many times I saw them. I felt someone place their hand on my shoulder and I looked up, smiling sadly at my Dad. “Are you gonna be okay, sweetie?” I nodded, hugging him. “He would have wanted this.” I said. I heard a squeal and smiled, turning around to see Harry holding our 9-month old baby boy. “He woke up just in time.” Harry said, chuckling and shutting the car door. I walked over and lifted him out of Harry’s arms, cooing at him and kissing his head. “Good morning, little man. Did you have a nice nap?” Harry rubbed his back, and I smiled to myself when I saw his wedding band gleam in the sunlight. It still never ceased to amaze me that we had started off as people who were supposed to hate each other, and now we were six years married with a beautiful baby boy.

I held my little boy close as we walked through the rows of stone, searching for the spot we knew all too well. “There.” I heard John say, and I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. This never gets easier, no matter how many times we make the journey out here. I stopped in front of the white marble slab and sat down on my knees in the grass, settling my boy in my lap. “Hi, big brother. I know it’s been a minute since we were here, but things have been a little busy. We’ve wanted to do this for a while now, so…” I said, smiling down at the gurgling little boy perched on my legs. “Michael, I want you to meet your nephew - Michael William Styles.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, my lovelies! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It took absolutely forever to complete, and it's probably the longest one-shot I'll ever write in my life. Feel free to leave some kudos/feedback - I read/respond to them all! Also, requests are open, just leave a comment! Love y'all! - H xx


	2. An Education - Liam Payne

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so y'all know, this isn't a Cheryl-bashing fic. I'm not here for that. But I do miss Sophia. Like please come back, Mom. I'm getting off topic. No Cheryl-bashing. Thanks.

I bid the latest mom and dad goodbye, sighing and walking back over to my desk. It was the first parent-teacher conference night of the year and I was already more than ready to go home. This was my second year as a primary school teacher and even though the job was stressful at times, there was no job I would rather have in the whole world. I had left behind all my friends and family in the States to take this position, but I haven’t regretted a single moment of it.

I looked up at the sound of a knock on the open door and felt my heart stutter a little when I saw none other than Liam Payne standing there, his son Bear bouncing impatiently beside him. “Hello, Mr. Payne, it’s good to see you. Hi, Bear!” I said cheerfully, walking over and shaking Liam’s hand, then getting down to eye level with Bear. “I still have some coloring stuff set out in the art corner, why don’t you go make your daddy a picture while we talk?” Bear nodded happily and sped off towards the art table. I straightened up and smiled at Liam, who looked very impressed. “I’ve never gotten him to settle down with something that quickly. I can understand all the good things he says about you.” He said, and I felt my cheeks flush lightly. “I hope it’s alright that I brought him? The sitter canceled last minute.” I waved my hand, leading him over to my desk. “Don’t worry about it, it’s no problem at all.” I sat down in my chair and he settled himself in front of my desk, and I tried not to stare too blatantly. He was so damn handsome. My female coworkers had all but cursed me to hell when they found out that I had gotten Bear Payne in my class this year because that meant that I would have continuous contact with his very handsome and very available father. Granted, I would never go after a student’s dad, especially one who had lost the mother of that student not too long ago. But Lord above, the things I would do to that man...

“Miss Y/L/N?” I shook my head a little and looked at Liam, who was staring at me amusedly. “You alright?” I nodded, laughing awkwardly. “Sorry, zoned out a bit. It’s been a long day. And please, call me Y/N. My students call me Miss Y/L/N.” Liam smiled and nodded, and I pulled out Bear’s folder. “Alright, so about Bear, Mr. Payne.” Liam placed his hand over mine on the folder, his eyebrows raised and a smile on his face. “If I’m calling you Y/N, you can call me Liam.” I swallowed and nodded, opening the folder. “Alright, Liam then. About Bear, he’s a very bright boy. Probably one of the smartest in the class, if I’m being honest. He gets along well with everyone, aside from the occasional dispute here and there, nothing out of the ordinary for a six-year-old. No issues with reading or writing, he’s an avid reader and his handwriting skills are progressing nicely. The only area Bear seems to have trouble in is his mathematics.” Liam frowned, glancing back at Bear, who was scribbling away happily. “Any particular part?” He asked, turning back to face me. “Subtraction, mainly. Addition is generally the easiest concept to grasp, but don’t worry, he’s not alone. A few other students are having difficulty with it as well. I believe he’s overthinking it - visualizing it too much. I’m trying to encourage him to write and draw it out on paper instead of looking off into space and trying to solve the problem. If you could reinforce that at home with some added practice, I think that would really help.” I finished, and glanced down at his file, hesitant to pull out the drawings I had saved from Bear. They had concerned me enough that I wanted to bring it up with his father, but I was worried I would be overstepping my boundaries with him. “Liam, let me know if this is too personal or if I’m crossing some kind of boundary, but do you talk to Bear about his mother?” Liam seemed to stiffen for a moment but then relaxed and nodded. “I tell him what she was like when he asks. He was too young when she passed to properly remember her.” I nodded and pulled out the drawings that Bear had made.

There were drawings of Bear and Liam, and then a woman next to Bear in a black dress, with a completely blacked out face and black limbs and hair, like a demon you see in a horror movie. “I asked Bear who the other person in the picture was, because it was a little troubling to see a child draw something like this, and he told me it was his mother.” Liam sucked in a breath took the drawing and studied it, and I continued talking. “I asked him why he had drawn his mother like this, and he said very matter-of-factly that she was in the ground and it’s dark in the ground.” Liam let out a small, sarcastic laugh. “Liam, have you talked to him at all about the concept of heaven or some kind of afterlife?” Liam shook his head, rubbing at his face. “No, I’m not terribly religious and I didn’t want to force it onto him, so we never really talked about that kind of thing.” I nodded, biting my lip. “I don’t think it’s good for someone his age to have this kind of perception of their mother. It’s certainly not healthy. I’m not saying that you have to tell him to believe in heaven or God or angels or anything like that, but something a bit lighter than a dirt nap will probably weigh less on him in the future.”

Liam nodded and sat back in his chair, studying the drawing, and the others that I had laid out on the desk. “He’s quite blunt. Bear doesn’t beat around the bush when it comes to what he’s feeling or thinking. He gets that from Cheryl, really.” Liam said, and I nodded, smiling a little. “He’s very attentive to other’s feelings, though. It’s an odd combination of qualities but it’s a good mix. He’s a really good kid. You’ve raised him well.” Liam looked up from the drawings, a slight smirk on his face. “He raves about you, you know. How you’re such a great teacher and he wants to go back to class right as he gets home, just so he can have fun with Miss Y/L/N. I’ve never seen a kid as excited about school before as he is.” I blushed, smiling over his shoulder at Bear. “He’s a pleasure to have in class, honestly he is. Bear is one of the most well-mannered kids I’ve got. I’m assuming he gets it all from you.” Liam grinned, and the sight sent flutters through my stomach. “I’d say I’m pretty well behaved - not always though.” He said in a low voice, which sent flutters through a very different part of my body. “W-well, Liam, t-that’s all I had to say about Bear. Is there anything concerning him that you would like to talk about?” I asked, putting back all of the papers and closing the folder, but when I looked up at Liam I immediately regretted my words. He had that same smirk on his face, and I was suddenly very aware of how little space stood between us, and how very in the room his son was. “There’s quite a lot I’d like to talk about, and not just about my son. Are you free for dinner this Friday?” My mouth hung open a little, and I couldn’t make any sound. It was technically legal, but completely unethical, to date a student’s parent. Still, I couldn’t deny that there was an attraction between us. “I am.” I finally said, and Liam grinned. I took a sticky note from my desk drawer and scribbled down my number, handing it to him and smiling. “Just let me know when and where.”

Liam and I stood up and walked over to Bear, who had finished several drawings at this point. I crouched down next to him and looked at the drawings, letting out a small sigh of relief when I saw that the dark mom wasn’t in them. “These are wonderful, Bear! You’re getting so good at drawing.” I said, and Jacob beamed at me. “Here, Daddy! This one’s for you! And this one is for you, Miss Y/L/N!” I took the drawing, smiling at the rainbow and blob people underneath it. “You’re too sweet. I’m going to hang this in my office, Bear.” I said, and he seemed satisfied with this answer. I walked them both to the door, telling Jacob I would see him tomorrow and blushing when Liam mouthed “text you later” and winked at me.

\---

I was just finishing brushing my teeth and braiding back my still wet hair when I heard my phone buzz in my bedroom. I walked back in and raised my eyebrows at the unknown number, unlocking my phone and smiling at the text message. “Is this the best teacher at Westminster Primary School?” I laughed and crawled into bed, texting him back quickly. “Well, I wouldn’t say the best...is this the nicest dad I’ve ever met?” I pressed send and flipped on Netflix, a little shocked when he texted back so fast. “You might not say it but I would ;) and perhaps it is. Sorry for the late text, though. The little man took a bit longer to get ready for bed tonight.” My heart warmed a little bit at the idea of Liam taking care of Bear, and I snuggled down further into my comforter. “Don’t worry about it, I’ve babysat my nieces and nephews more times than I can count. Little kids and bedtime are like negotiating a peace treaty.” Liam sent back a laughing emoji, and then another text. “He’s usually quite sleepy after a story or two, but he just kept asking questions tonight. Quite odd, what are you teaching him in that class of yours?” I rolled my eyes and tapped out a response, smiling. “I teach them to be curious about everything and to always ask questions - I guess my hard work is paying off.” We sent a few more messages back and forth before Liam sent me the text I had been waiting for - the one that made my heart beat a little faster. "I need to get some sleep love, but I want to see you. The Lakewood? Tomorrow? 8o'clock?" I squealed a little, almost dropping my phone. The Lakewood was a super posh, very intimate restaurant in West London; perfect for a very private first date. "Sounds like a plan, I'll see you there, Liam. Goodnight. xx"

“Three brothers? And they’re all older?” Liam said, laughing. I nodded, taking a sip of my wine. “Yep. I had a great time growing up in that house.” I said sarcastically, making Liam laugh again. “If it makes you feel any better, I have five sisters, all of them older than me.” I raised my eyebrows in disbelief, trying not to laugh. “Oh my gosh, how did you survive?” Liam shrugged, grinning. “Barely.” We were quiet for a moment, and when Liam finally spoke, his voice was soft. “Sorry if I’m a bit awkward, Y/N. This...well, this is my first date since Cheryl…” He trailed off, and I smiled gently at him, putting my hand on top of his. “I’m having a wonderful time, Liam.” I said reassuringly, gazing at him. Liam smiled, hesitating for a second before lifting my hand to his lips and kissing my knuckles gently, making my breath catch in my throat. His face was practically glowing in the candlelight, really the only good lighting in the restaurant. “You look beautiful tonight.” He murmured, and I felt my cheeks flush. “Well, it’s not every day I get to have dinner with someone as handsome as you.” I said, giving him a flirtatious smile. Liam grinned at me, taking his wine glass and lifting it up. "Here's to wonderful first dates, and then hopefully even better ones to follow." Liam toasted, clinking his glass lightly against mine before taking a sip, his eyes never leaving mine. The look that he gave me sent full body shivers down my spine and I tried to keep my composure. I was never the type of girl to invite a guy back up to her place on the first date but the way that Liam was looking at me right now, I was prepared to risk it all. And from the smirk that crossed his face, I knew that he was too.

\---

I sat at the kitchen bar, drinking coffee as I sorted through my final lesson plans and pushed my glasses up the bridge of my nose. I took another sip and shivered when I felt a pair of warm lips on the back of my neck. “Morning.” Liam said quietly, his voice still rough with sleep. “I hope I didn’t wake you.” I said, blushing and turning to look at him. Liam smirked, shaking his head. “The coffee did, love." He murmured, his lips beginning to trail down my neck again. This was the third time he had stayed the night at my place in the three months that we had been dating. We were trying to keep this quiet until the school year was over, and Bear was no longer my student. Again, it wasn't illegal for a teacher to date the parent of a student, it was just slightly unethical and not looked upon favorably by the school administration. And because we were keeping it quiet, Bear didn't know that his father and his teacher were dating. I wasn't sure how he would react to his father bringing a new woman into his life with the intention of that woman being his new mother - if that's what Liam even wanted.

"What's on your mind, Y/N?" Liam whispered, his very talented hands beginning to rub my shoulders. I closed my eyes and let my head fall back against his chest, biting my lip at his ministrations. "Thinking about Bear." I said quietly, and Liam chuckled. "Quite an odd time to be thinking about my son, but alright. What about him?" Liam questioned, and I sighed, turning the barstool so I was facing him now. "I have a lot of kids in my class with single parents, Li. Whether they divorced or were widowed or made the conscious choice to be a single parent, all these kids know is that they have one parent." Liam nodded slowly, so I continued. "I've seen these children act out when their parents introduce a significant other into the child's life with the intent that this person is going to take on a parental role in the child's life. With that being said, is that what you're hoping for when you introduce me to Bear as your girlfriend and not his teacher?" Liam studied my face carefully, obviously trying to choose his words. "Would you be okay with that? If I wanted you to take on more of a maternal role in Bear's life?" He asked, and I bit my lip, reversing the question back to him instead. "Is that what you want?" I asked, and Liam hesitated for a second before nodding. "When I decided to start dating again, I knew that it would have to be an incredibly caring and compassionate person, someone who understands that Bear comes first no matter what the situation is. You obviously care about my son and his wellbeing just as much as you care about me, if not more, so yes; if you were comfortable with it, I would want you to be the maternal figure in Bear's life." Liam finished, and I smiled up at him, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. I never pictured my introduction to motherhood as being someone's stepmother, but Liam was right. I cared very deeply about Bear and what happened to him, and intrinsically I knew that I would protect him like his own mother would. "I want that too." I whispered, pulling Liam's face down to mine and kissing him softly. I squealed when Liam pushed my papers off of the counter and grabbed my ass, lifting me up onto the cold granite surface and deepening the kiss. These were strange waters that I was trying to navigate - I never imagined that my first great love would be a single dad, but I wouldn't want it any other way. This was the best, most unconditional kind of love and I was privileged enough to witness it and share in it - something that would never fail to amaze me, but something I would never in my life take for granted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, my lovelies! Feel free to leave some kudos/feedback down below - I read and respond to all of them! Requests are open - leave them below!! Make sure you bookmark this story so you get notified when I update! Love y'all! - H xx


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